Dande faction caused NMMC chaos

The significant meeting was convened at the instance of Joshi. Naik was understood to have given a detailed and chronological account of the party’s situation leading to the revolt by his followers on Wednesday.

The Naik group’s contention was that it had “more than accommodated” the Dande faction in the elections to the standing committee members, its chairman and even the election of this year’s mayor. When the Dande group began pampering the Sena rebels, and those who worked against the party interest, the Naik group lost its patience. It was Naik himself who had earlier managed to pacify his followers who had even planned to float a front called Navi Mumbai Nagrik Vikas Aghadi to oppose the Dande group game plan. But with Thackeray cracking the whip, things calmed down with Naik asking followers not to turn the Sena applecart. A close associate of Naik told The Indian Express that this time when the elections to the not-so-significant transport committee members were taking place, the Dande camp filed nominations of four party rebels, including corporator Pappu Sawant who has won against official candidate and Shramik Sena general secretary Ashok Pohekar, right-hand man of Naik.

Another prominent rebel, Haribhau Mhatre, who stood against Naik’s son Sanjeev, a former mayor, was also encouraged to file his nomination for the transport committee membership, only to spite the Naik camp. “Ab paani sar ke oopar se gaya” (the water had crossed the limits). We had to retaliate,” the source said.